In The Calm Before The Storm
by jls62113
Summary: Just a quick one shot with Rick and Michonne at the Kingdom. They are there on business, but there is a little down time involved with just the two of them. Rick gets to see Carol, briefly.


In The Calm Before The Storm

It had been a long and a grueling few days and finally she could see light at the end of the tunnel. It was a very dim light, but light just the same. She couldn't sleep in this place, but she didn't care. She wanted to keep in her heart forever this calm before the storm that was coming. The hope that was in her was now made brighter by the renewed hope in him. His handsome face reflected strength and unmovable determination again. She's seen him strong before, but there was a difference now. He had gained more wisdom.

She was glad he was able to rest, even in this strange place. Rest was what he needed for what lay ahead of them since he made the decision to fight back. She smiled watching his relaxed face. She always thought his best battle plans came to him while he slept, so she resisted the urge to wake him. He lay on his side facing her with an arm draped across her waist. Over the last twenty-four hours, she noticed how he had started to keep her closer to him than he had before. He touched her in public more often than before as if to ensure to himself that she was actually there with him. As much as she loved him, it had been difficult seeing the defeat in his eyes day after day, so she closed her eyes and escaped when she could to do what came so naturally to her as breathing, finding a way to fight back. Now they were of the same mind again, and there was no place on earth she'd rather be, before or at this time, than with him.

She recalled his face over the last week. The worry, bewilderment and the tears that fell from his eyes that threatened to break her heart, but she had to remain strong. Strong for him and the children, for all of them. He needed her to be exactly who she has always been, but twenty-four hours ago, the fear of who she is and what she would possibly do for vengeance frightened him. That fear was vocalized when he told her 'I'm not losing you, Carl or anyone else.' Losing people weighs heaviest on him because he feels responsible. For nearly two years now he had been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Sometimes she wondered how he managed it, but he wore it like his own skin. He owned his responsibility with honor, and at times with a little savagery. He hadn't asked for it, but it was his just the same. She never told him, but she felt he was created to be the one to lead survivors through this chaos.

They hadn't really talked since the death of Glenn and Abraham because nothing she said then would have convinced him to do as Maggie suggested, fight back. He had to get there on his own. He had to see it for himself, and he did. Unfortunately, in the process, they lost two more people.

She smiled sadly wanting so much to wake him just so she could talk to him; to see the smile in his eyes when he looks at her, but he needed to rest. She studied the scar under his right eye. He got that scar fighting the governor when the prison fell. How long ago that time seemed. Her eyes settled on lips and she got goose bumps thinking about the pleasures gained from those lips. She started to lightly kiss his neck and thought a juvenile love bite would look great peeking out from the collar of his shirt. _But kissing those lips_... She could feel her heart race just thinking about his kisses. She couldn't wait any longer. She wanted him awake. She missed him when he slept. She nuzzled her face close to his, and felt his head move slightly as he found her lips and as if he was reading her thoughts, began kissing her. Startled, she looked at his face and noticed he appeared to still be sleeping. She smiled and continued to formulate more ways to play with him while he slept, but he kissed her again, but this time deeper and longer. When he came up for air, he moaned her name quietly and she smiled and kissed him again. His arm tightened around her waist as he pulled her closer. He moaned again and she jumped when he started to speak.

"You do realize we're not at home." His voice was husky from sleep.

"Yes." She said as if caught with her hand in a cookie jar.

"If your goal was to wake me, you had me up when you rolled over on your side to face me."

She playfully smacked his arm. He laughed and rolled over onto his back.

"Did you get any rest at all?"

"How could I? I sleep with you every night."

"Is that your way of telling me I snore?"

"No. It's not snoring that keeps me from resting." He said smiling slyly.

She smiled back and she rolled over onto her stomach and leaned on her elbows.

"What do you think of the Kingdom?" She said seriously.

"I want to trust this place, especially since we know Morgan is here, but I understand if Ezekiel doesn't' trust us. What do you think about Ezekiel?"

Through the early morning light shining through the window he could see her face and knew she wasn't totally interested in a full discussion about king Ezekiel.

"I think he's a good man, a bit flamboyant, but he takes care of his people."

Rick started to talk, but she stopped him by kissing him. To her it seemed like forever since they were able to give each other the full attention they needed.

"What if someone walks in on us?" He offered knowing she wouldn't buy that excuse.

"Hopefully they'll politely back out."

"Yeah, everyone else but Jesus."

She laughed and he smiled at the memory of Jesus interrupting their post first-time bliss.

"You think he likes to watch?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"No I don't, but if he has something to say, I don't think it matters to him where we are or what we're doing."

While Rick was talking, he maneuvered Michonne on her back and lay on top of her.

"This is interesting. You were hesitant because we're not at home."

"I was just warning you that they may have thin walls here so you'll have to scream into this pillow."

He then grabbed his pillow and playfully covered her face. She giggled while he kissed the ticklish spot of her neck.

"What do you think about Ezekiel?" She asked barely able to get the words out obviously distracted by Rick's kisses on her neck.

He stopped kissing her and she saw a mock frown on his face.

"You want to talk or make love?"

"We can't do both?"

He smiled lovingly at her as she could barely keep a straight face.

"You may be able to, but I can only be good at one thing at a time."

"That's not true."

As she started to elaborate, there was a knock on the door that made them laugh harder. Rick got up and pulled on his pants.

"Who is it?"

"Jesus."

Rick smiled at Michonne as she rolled over and laughed uncontrollably into Rick's pillow. Rick opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but Ezekiel would like a word with you."

"Okay, give me a second."

He went back into the room and finished getting dressed. Michonne sat up with the sheet pulled closely to her chest and her legs drawn up.

"Sorry to cut this short, but Ezekiel wants to see me. I'll make it up to you later." She watched as he strapped on his gun and smiled. It was good to see his gun back where it belonged. He leaned across the bed and kissed her.

"You'd better." She said giving him a smile that made him give a second thought about leaving right then to meet with Ezekiel

"I'll make it worth your while." He said pulling his eyes from her to check his gun.

"You always do." She said smiling generously.

He turned to her with a look that said exactly what was in his heart. He pulled his eyes away again and rolled his eyes skyward and shook his head.

"I'll see you later." He said finally as he walked out the door.

Jesus took Rick to Ezekiel's garden where Ezekiel was waiting.

"Ah Rick. Thank you for joining me on this fine early morning. I hope you are finding our accommodations agreeable."

"They are, thank you."

"If you don't need me, I'll leave you two alone." Jesus said.

"Jesus, as always, thank you. I didn't wake you did I?" Ezekiel said turning to Rick.

Rick shook his head and inwardly wished he was back in bed with Michonne.

"No, I was awake."

"Finding it hard to sleep in a strange place?"

"Something like that."

"Then let me get right to the point. I asked you here to talk to you on behalf of someone you know."

Rick's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"I never would have thought a connection, but since you know Morgan, you also must know Carol."

Rick's eyes got wide and he stepped closer to Ezekiel.

"She's here? Is she alright?"

Ezekiel smiled at Rick's concern.

"She is part of your family. I can see that."

"Yeah. I've known her since the beginning."

"She is well. She lives not too far from here, but she wishes to be left alone."

Rick nodded.

"Yeah, she left us before we had all this trouble with Negan."

"I invited her to stay here but she refused. I then offered her a solution, perhaps a compromise so she could be alone, but still close enough if she were in need."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For taking care of her. Morgan and I came after her when she left and saw she might have been wounded, so Morgan continued to look for her. I never thought I'd see them again."

"You truly are an honorable man Rick Grimes. You care as do I. The two of us will get along fine." Ezekiel reached out his hand to shake Rick's.

"Ezekiel, I'd like to see her. Just me. I have no plans to put any pressure on her. I just need to see for myself that she's alright."

Ezekiel smiled at Rick and nodded.

Rick approached Carol's house with caution. He quietly stepped up on the porch and knocked on the door. She opened the door thinking it was yet another disturbance from one or all of the three men in her life, but much to her surprise a blue-eyed cowboy stood in front of her. Tears came to her eyes and he stepped into the house and put his arms around her.

"Are you okay?"

Speechless, she nodded.

"I know you want to be alone, but I had to see you for myself, that's all."

"How are the children?"

"Good, they're good."

She looked in his eyes and smoothed his hair back.

"Something's happened." She said seriously.

He didn't answer as she looked in his eyes.

"Why are you here?"

"Morgan didn't come get me if that's what you're thinking. Jesus brought us here and Ezekiel told me you were here."

"But why are you here and not back at Alexandria?"

He really didn't want to tell her what happened to Glenn and Abraham.

"Rick what happened?" She asked reluctantly.

"I know why you left and you want to be left alone, so I won't tell you what's been going on, but I will say that we've had some trouble because of the saviors we killed at that outpost and we need some help."

She searched his eyes and knew he wasn't giving her the full story. Her mind flooded with possibilities and she forced them out. She didn't want to know.

"Retaliation." She said frankly.

He simply nodded.

"Daryl's here, Michonne, Carl, Rosita and Tara." He quickly changed the subject.

"Where's Maggie and Glenn?"

"At the Hilltop." He said looking down.

He walked over to her and kissed her forehead.

"I really miss you, but I can see that you're alright. Daryl might be staying here so you might run into him. It'll be safer for him here."

"Safer? Why?"

"Ask him."

Carol all but rolled her eyes, but she had asked for this. She didn't want to know, but anything to do with Daryl she did.

"Take care of yourself."

"I will. I don't have to say the same to you. Just seeing you standing here is confirmation enough." He took one last look before he left her.

When Rick got back to the Kingdom, Michonne was walking around with Ezekiel.

"Rick, your lady is indeed a marvel."

"Yes she is." Rick agreed looking at Michonne and smiling.

"I hope you found our friend well."

"I did. Thank you for taking care of her." Rick turned to Michonne. "Carol is near here."

"How?" Michonne said.

"They found her and Morgan. Carol was hurt."

"Why didn't Morgan tell us?"

"Carol wants it that way."

Michonne understood what Carol was doing. It was the opposite of how Michonne saw herself. Michonne had gotten used to being alone, until she found Rick and the others. Now it was difficult to imagine life without them.

"Ezekiel, I'll say it again. We need to work together in this. The situation with Negan and the saviors will only get worse. They'll use us up until we're no more and I can't have that. I hope you decide to join us before they kill some of your people. It will eventually come to that. Being neutral in a conflict like this one is not an option. They will come to you one day asking for more and they won't just let you give it to them, they will take it by force."

Ezekiel regarded Rick thoughtfully for a long time taking in every word. He trusted this man, but he would not carelessly put his people at risk.

"We need to get back to Alexandria. I want to thank you for your hospitality and your time." Rick said extending a hand to Ezekiel which he shook.

"Thank you for your candor and compassion. I appreciate the care and concern you have for your people and the well-being of others less fortunate. You have given me much to consider, and I will consider what you have told me. God's speed on your journey home Rick Grimes, and to you lady Michonne." He said with a slight bow to Michonne.

As they walked away, for the first time, Michonne took Rick's hand.

"He's very charming." She said playfully.

"I'll put a bullet in him if he touches you." Rick said seriously.

Michonne laughed.

"I know you can be a tiger, but he has a real one, and I think she'd win."

As they walked Michonne switched the hand she held to her other one and put her free arm around his waist.

"Thank you."

"For what?" He said looking down at her.

"Showing a little green-eyed monster." She said with a smile.

"What would you do if the roles were reversed?"

"It depends."

"On what?" He questioned curiously.

"On the situation. The girl at the Hilltop who punched you, I knocked her to the ground. Someone who looks at you like she wants to lick you, she's dead meat."

They both laughed and he put his arm around her shoulders.

"Thank you. I've never had anyone defend my honor so fiercely before."

"You're welcome, and besides, I'm not done with you yet."


End file.
